"my dad doesn’t know that i'm just a kid.”

thank you gus van sant for the most beautiful film my eyes have ever laid upon. and yes i recognise how that’s a completely subjective opinion because if it doesn’t hit for you, it just doesn’t. for me? this film is like an eternal kiss on my soul.

eery wind howling noises. vignettes. vhs camera shots making you feel whimsical and nostalgic. mixing surrealism in otherwise “boring” open landscapes like it’s a salvador dalí painting. from the beginning of this film, your brain gets flooded with artistic choices. there is so much to absorb, yet so little actually happening, and it's making your eyes flit around the screen, trying to decipher its meanings.

and then, the shakespearean dialogue. and then, the seemingly random poetic dialogue amidst all the hustle and bustle of junkie young adult. it might feel jarring to another, but to me, a young adult, it fits perfectly.
what is more beautiful than mixing poetry into our daily lives? to recognise our life might be bigger than ourselves and yet we still try to take control of our life? i’m so glad they didn’t cut shakespeare out of this.

this film is an uncommon sort of queer film. it might not have themes that everyone is comfortable with, and that’s exactly what makes it perfect. let us rebel against the common opinion of the hoi polloi. let them be uncomfortable! let them quiver in their seats!

beautifully poignant. it is a road film. it is a subconscious exploration of youth. it is the vulnerability of queer love. it is a beautiful piece of art.
beautiful cinematography, truly. i wish i could devour the shots. my noun vocabulary falls short and all i can think of is .. beautiful.

mike waters. my beautiful beautiful Lost Boy..
mike is a very good example of a character trope gus seems to be really fond of. the “Lost Boy”, boys wandering 'round the streets with upright shoulders but a wobbly heart, searching for a meaning in life. though his circumstances might not seem ideal, gus’ portrayal of mike makes me yearn to live the same life. i wish i could be a lost boy too.

i love this film for more than just technical reasons. i'm also a narcoleptic in love with someone, i also used to sell my body, and i too wish i could stroll the streets, live day to day, smoking the night away.

this film is genuinely so so special to me. i will love it forever. it's my fave film ever and i will never stop loving it. i need to inject it into me.. i want everyone to associate me with this film because god.. it makes me feel so much. this is my fave film ever.

“a word before we start: laughter and screams sound very much alike.”

a beautiful film layered and layered with a multitude of opinions and criticism. the downfall of the woman. the effects of placing beauty as a woman’s only worth.
i think the fact this has been directed by a woman, and the original manga has been made by a woman too, really makes this film even better. they understand, they understand how women are viewed. they understand how women need to be like art pieces in a museum, beautiful and ever youthful. a slight scratch or a tiny bump will have you be thrown in the disposal immediately.

the psychological downfall of an idol who has a burning need to stay as young and beautiful forever, and wants to be loved.. to be remembered...
not only does this film have very good messages, the cinematography itself is beautiful too, as are the costume designs. everything has been carefully placed in a shot, everything has a reason. your eyes get glued to the beautiful scenes and beautiful actors, which is ironic given the message of the film.
he imagery is gorgeous, and the colour palette is just like the main character. loud, until broken. then it’s muted. it’s chaotic. it’s psychologically shattered.

i have read the manga before i watched this film and i absolutely loved it.. it felt like i was spiraling. it felt like an acid trip, and i love it.
you'll find a theme in the things i like, it's people who get used for their body and beauty until they're not worth it anymore. i really really love this theme.